Magnetic liquid heater



May A7, 1929. 'R 'R GSHORN 1,112,207

MAGNETIC LIQUID HEATER Filed Aug. 1.6, 1927 inve/wrox uis intention relatos to water beaters, preterabiy tor .domestic use, and nas 'for its .object to provide such a device which may be operated by the ordinary bouse current? and which is comprised of tew which are readiiy asseinbied into a unitary structure ot comparatively iow cost.

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.reaches its niaxinauin at the 'tbe beat-ing effects by coinpensat A further object ot the invention resides in the provision ot a water beater in which aii ot 'the pipingis within the tank thereby reducing1 the probiem ot insuiation to ininiinuin and 'bringing tire eiiicieney ot the heater to a maximum. V Another object of the invention consists in providing an eiectricaiiy operated water heater in which the water or other i' i is Iraduaiiy heated in tire pines charge into the 'top ot tbe tenir ing;v undue heating);A of the primary coiis of the beaten further object of the invention resides in combining with a heater a thermostwhich is so positioned within the tank as be inost responsive to changes of te 1 ture in the taniz so as to maintain at the desired temperature.

Another object ot the invention consists in tile provision ot a coii and a condeT connected in series and serving te i the numeral l indicates generally tbe `appa-v ratus which includes upper and lower tanirs .2 and 3, united by a ine-tai band i7 and eenyentionai base or pedestai 5. The tenir 2 serves as a receptacle for the water or other tiuid being heated, while the iower tank or compartment 3 holds the beating unit designated generaily by the numeral 6.

Secured. to the base 7 of tbe vcompartrnent 3 as by means of clipsy or other fastening a tyd sentirti-u, at

@Ml i means 8, is a closed laminated iron core around' which are wound the priinarv coils i0. The secondary winding et tbe.7` L toriner is f uned et the pipe coiis 1i have their terininais i2 and i3 provided with conventionri pipe -anions lli and 15. I loe noted that thel primary coils l0 co agreat many turns of comparatiaeiy sri high resistance wire, wiiiie 'the secoli. i coiis 'i are eacb. composed or( a ew turns oi heavy iow resistance tubingu This a iligii tr o. ation ratio Lso that when alternating cui at approirimateiy il@ verts is sunpiied to the primary coiis, a very heavy current will iiow in the iow resistiance secondary and wiii generate beet raise tbe temperature within the tnioB uinerai i6 indicates a pipe con-nec troni tiie 'i supply and connected te upper end of the tank 2 and coupied this ine i7 which extends y L i adjacent tne bottoni y mereby discharging the reiatiye water i. the tank at a point oiose 1' pipe :tor y by nuinerai iv'ii ne noted, is connected to tbe n er" the tenir so as to carry ott the tiet desired. Tire bottom of the tank 2 is provi T55 an opening surroundedby a -tarea 19 and in which is threaded a inet i extending :troni tire bottom of ne f it to a point adi acont its top. Positioned *it in the pipe or sieeye 20 and spaced ther is an extension tube 21 'which is co ected with the coii *erminai 13 by means ot' tbe pine union 15 tube 2l, as stated, is spaced from the i er wail ot the sieeve 20 and tiius entireij out ot contact with any portion t of tire tank. To provide for the secondary circuit7 however, the upper end of the tube 2i is welded or otherwise intiinateiy connected with the upper end ot the sie-ere 20, short pipe or tube 22 is threaded inte the bottoni ot the tank 2 by. means ot a boss ,and is connected with the second tern-iinai ot the pipe coiis li means ot the union it. will thus be observed that a ciosed cire cuit is provided tor the secondary winding; the current induced in the coiis il Jrorn terninai i3 upwardly through the tube 21, downwardly through sleeve 20 to tige bottom ot tank 2, and thence yto tube 22 and coli terminal 3.2. in this connection 'should be noa-.d that the vdirection of the current is reversed in the tube 21 and sleeve ,20 thereby becoming entirely non-inductive. However, due to their very close spacing -they produce a decided condenser eifect which serves to increase the power factor of the heater. For instance, the tube 21 will serve as one `plate of the condenser, sleeve 2O as another, and the air gap as the third plate of the condenser. There is thus presented a condenser operating at a very low voltage having quite a large capacity, in fact a capacity which to a great extent counteracts the induetance loss occasioned by magnetic leakage around thev transformer and secondary coil.

The transformer core 9 poesses considerable electrical inductanee and this will tend to produce phase displacement betweenA the current andv electromotive force and hence to decrease the effective heating value of the secondary current. In order Ato compensate for this effect I place' a winding 44 on the core 9' and connect a condenser y45 in series with it. The condenser is ofl such a size as to produce a small flux component of leading power factor in the core 9 just suicient to balance the lagging effect of the inductance of the core. In this manner the reactive component in the secondary current is kept at a minimum and the maximum heating effect is obtained from' the transformer. v

From the above description of the secondary circuit it will be apparent that the cool water entering the tube 22 is gradually heated as it passes through the coils 11, the temperature thereof increasing as the water passes upwardly'through thetube 21 due to the fact that it has been longest exposed to the heat within the tubing. The annular l air space beween the tube 21 and sleeve 20 also serves as an insulation for these parts. Furthermore, the fact that the maximum temperature of the water is not reacheduntil the water reaches a point adjacent the top of tank 2, prevent-s serious defects and loss of eilicienc in the heating unit due tothe fact that the primar-y windings are not unduly heated and also the fact thatthe use of heat insulating material about these parts is re dered unnecessary.

oautom'atically control the temperature to which the water 'in the tank 2 is raised I have provided .a thermostat which comprises a. tube 24 provided with an enlarged pocket 25 at its lower end and a substantially semispherical compartment 26 at its upper end provided with a flexible diaphragm, preferably of metal.y This thermostat is threaded into opening27 in the upper endl of tank 2 and forms a leak-proof* fit therein. The pocket 25 is preferably filledA with ether or other volatile fluid and as the temperature raises the pressure of the gases given oi will diaphragm 26 is a coil spring 31 and an adjust-ing screw 32 whereby external pressure on the diaphragm may be varied so as to adjust the thermostat to varying temperatures.

-It should be particularly noted that the end 25 of the thermostat is located within the 'tank at a point intermediate the up er and lower ends thereof. rI`he purpose o? so locating the thermostat is in order that it may be influenced by the mean temperature of the water within the tank rather thanby he hot water at the top of the tank or the relatively cold water at the bottom of the tank, thus tending to maintain the water in the tank at a more nearly even temperature.

The pipe coils 11` are provided with a drain connection 4Q to which is attached a faucet 41 and to accommodate these elements the lower end of the side wall of the tank 3 isprovided with aslot 42 and a metal flap or the like 43 is secured on the inner face of the tank -2 so as to close the lower portion of 4this slot. In thisconnection it should be trap or collector as well as a drain. Or-

ganie matter in the water passing through the coils will gradually be deposited and will find its way into the downwardly inclined trap 40, from whence itmay be removed by `running a wire or other cleaner into the pipe from the exterior of the apparatus or by flushing. It is also desirable to' employ a low melting fuse in the primary circuit and I have indicated by numeral 47 s uch a fuse of conventional type.

In assembling the device the heating unit 6 is first secured to the base plate 7 of the tank 3 and the latter is then slipped over the heat-ing unit and its lower edges riveted or otherwise secured to the upturned flange of the bottom 7. The tank 2 is then seated on the upper edge of the tank 3 and secured thereto rby means ofthe band 4. As will appear from an inspection of Fi re 3, a door 46 is provided in the side of tank 3 and access may be had through this door for operating the unions 14 and 15 to secure the pipe terminals 12 and 13 to the tubes 22 and 21 respectively.

In the operation of the device, water in and low- 2li are cooled and the diaphragm 26 collapses so as to operate the switch 30 to close the circuit through the primary coils 10, thus supplying secondary current to the pipe coils and tube 21 as above described. rlhis secondary current, of course, will gradually heat the water as it descends through the pipe terminal 12 and around the coils 11 and up through the terminal 13. j The water passing upwardly through the terminal 13 will have a temperature of about o to 120o F., and the maximum temperature of 1700 l?. or other temperature to which the thermostat is adjusted will not be attained until the water reaches the upper end of 'the tube 21. f

llt will thus be seen that the hottest Water is at the upper end of the tank while the relatively cool water is at the lower end of the tank. ThisA gradual heating of the water as it passes upwardly through the tube 21 gives rise to convection currents within the tank 2 -and thus tends to cause the Water therein to intermingle so as to produce an even temperature. Furthermore, the fact that the maximum temperature is created within the tube 21 has not only the advantages of avoiding undue heating of the primary coils and avoiding the use of heat insulating material about these parts, but also limits the deposit of lime to the tube 21 rather than to the coils 11. This is of paramount importance in that the tube 21 may be readily scaled or cleaned by merely disconnectingthe union 15 whereas cleaning of the pipe coils 11, if not entirely impossible, would at least require that the entire apparatus be dismounted and overhauled.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be observed that l have devised a comparatively simple andv inexpensive type of electric heater of unitary construction, that the device is entirely inclosed within the tank structure, that is', with the exception of the intake and outlet pipes; that the use of heat insulating material is practically eliminated; that the deposit of lime is limited to such parts as may be readily cleaned; and that the thermostatic control is so located as to maintain a maximum quantity of the water in the tank at the temperature at which the thermostat is adjusted.

ln accordance with the patent statutes il have described what Inow believe to loe the best embodiment of the invention, but 1 do not wish to be understood thereby as limiting myself or the scope of the invention, as many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit `of the invention; all such l aim to include within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a water heater, a transformerincluding Water pipe coil the secondary Winding, a water tank, a conduit leading from said coil` through the tank to a point adjacent the top of the tank, said conduit being out of contact with said tank, and means electrically connecting the upper end of said conduit with the tank wall.

ln a water heater, a transformer including a water pipe coil as the secondary winding, a water tank, said coil having one end electrically connected with the tank, a conduit connected to the other end of said coil aud leading through the tank to a point adjacent the top of the tank, said conduit being out of contact with said tank, and mans electrically connecting the upper end of the conduit with the tank.

3.' 1n a water heater, a transformer including a water pipe coil as the secondaryy Winding, a'water tank,'a conduit leading from said coil through the bottom of the tank to a point adjacent the top thereof, said conduit being` out of contact with the bottom of said tank, and a metal sleeve connected to the upper end of said conduit and to the bottom of the tank.

a. 1n a water heater, a transformer including a water pipe -coil as the secondary Winding, a water tank, said pipe coil having one end electrically connected with said tank, a conduit connected with the other end of said coil and extending'to a point .adjacent the top of the tank, the bottom of the tank provided with an aperture of greater diameter than the diameter of the conduit and through which the latter extends, and a metal sleeve encircling said conduit but spaced therefrom, the upper and lower ends of said sleeve being connected to the conduit and the bottom of said tank respectively.

5. 1n a water heater a transformer including a water pipe coil as the secondary winding, a water tank, a conduit leading from said coil through the tank to a point adjacent the top of the tank, said conduit being out of contact with said tank, means electrically connecting the upper end of said conduit with the tank Wall, and a second conduit for conducting cold Water to a point adjacent the bottom of the tank.

6. 1n an electric water heater, the combination with a metallic tank struct-ure hav- 'ing a water inlet and a water outlet, of a transformer having a secondary winding composed of pipe coils communicating with the interior of .said tank at the top and bottom thereof, and electrically connected tlV1 erewith, and means electrically associated with the transformer for compensating for carrying primary and secondary windings, said secondary Winding being madeup of pipe coils communicating with the interior of said tank, and means on said core for compensating for the inductance effect of said core. v

8. In an electric water heater, the combination with a metallic tank having a water inlet and a water outlet, of an electrical transformer comprising a magnetic core carrying primary and secondary windings.l said secondary winding being made up of pipe coils communicating with the interior of said tank, a third winding on said core and a condenser connected in circuit with said third winding for counteracting the effects of phase displacement produced by the inductance of said core.

9. In an electric water heater, the combination with a metallic tank having a waterinlet and a water outlet, of an Yelectrical transforn'xer comprising a magnetic core carrying primary and secondary windings, the said secondary windings being made up of pipe coils communicating with., the inte- A rior of said tank, a fuse/of low melting point alloy placed ata point near said pipe coil immediately beneath said tank bottom and being connected in series with the primary coils for the purpose of preventing overheating.

l0. A water heater including an upper compartment providing a water tank, and a lower compartment in which an electrical heating unit is mounted, said unit comprising a transformer includingl a water pipe coil as the secondary winding, the ends of said lcoil terminating within the lower compartment, pipe unions carried by the ends of said coil, and pipes supported in the upper -compartment and connected to the coil by said unions. Y

1 1. A water heater including an upper compartment providing a water tank, and a lower compartment in which an electrical heating unit is mounted, said unit comprising a transformer including a water pipe to the bottom of the tank and in electrical l contact therewith, and a combined drain pipe and sediment collector inclined downwardly from the base yof said coil.

13. In a water heater, a transformer including a water pipe coil as the secondary winding, a water tank, a conduit leading from said coil throu h the tank to a point adjacent the top of t e tank, a metal sleeve encircling said conduit and spaced slightly therefrom, said sleeve connected at its upper end to said tube and at its lower end to the bottom of said tank, whereby a condenser effect is provided between the sleeve and tube.

ROBERT R. GOSHORN. 

